Eight in 10 Americans aware of contactless payments

Some 82% of US consumers have heard of contactless or tap-and-go payments and 69% are now using chip cards or plan to use them soon, research from MasterCard reveals. Three quarters of Americans have also heard of biometric payments and 56% are currently making in-app and online mobile payments.

Of the 1,000 respondents surveyed for the ‘Emotion of Safety & Security Survey’:

77% feel that new payment technologies are having an overall positive impact on personal security;

83% are excited about new secure technologies helping protect their financial information;

88% say they trust that their payment network is arming them with secure technologies that will protect them from fraud.

Security fears

However, 77% are anxious about their financial information and social security numbers being stolen or compromised;

62% of respondents are less concerned about having their email hacked;

59% are less concerned about their home being robbed;

92% feel they take precautions to protect their financial information, yet roughly half (46%) rarely or never change passwords for online financial accounts;

44% use the same password for multiple online accounts, and more than a third (39%) have checked their financial data online on public networks;

48% believe they are most responsible for protecting their own financial information from being stolen or compromised.

“This survey really gets to the heart of consumers’ emotions around safety and security and what we’ve uncovered is that, while many Americans may be concerned, they’re also incredibly resilient and optimistic about the change ahead,” says Carolyn Balfany, svp of US product delivery of EMV at MasterCard.

“People of all generations want to take ownership of their financial information; they’re becoming more security conscious and they’re actively embracing new technologies and services that will help keep them safe.”